2018 BARREL RACING RECORDS WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL RODEO ASSOCIATION 431 S. Cascade Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone (719) 447-4726 • Fax (719) 447-4631 www.wpra.com 13.11-second mark in Round 3 – to go from seventh to second behind World Champion Nellie Miller. That windfall served notice that they were for real, and Kinsel blitzed through the 2018 regular season to the tune of $192,834 in earnings and a $46,008 lead over Miller heading into the $10 million Finals. That lead was precarious, Kinsel knew, since each go- round winner earned $26,231 and the average title paid $67,269. She was going to have to go out and earn it under the bright lights, with a bullseye on her back the whole time. “Coming into this (Finals) knowing it was Hailey Kinsel and Sister set a new single season earnings record anybody’s game because there’s so much with $350,700 en route to their first gold buckle. Kinsel won the money here, I had no expectations,” Kinsel first, sixth, seventh and ninth rounds at the Wrangler NFR to said. “I just went for it every night, just like solidify their spot on top of the list in 2018 adding $157,865 in everybody else here. Everybody hopes to Wrangler NFR earnings. WPRA photo by Phil Doyle come out here and have a good week, and not all of us get to.” Round 10 to keep her seventh in the Wrangler Whatever nerves she may have had were NFR average standings. calmed by Kinsel’s routine preparation with All hail Hailey It was a superb 10 days for Kinsel and her Kinsel wins first gold buckle one year after runner-up her 7-year-old palomino mare each night. trusty mounts. “I pray a lot, I breathe a lot,” Kinsel said. “I finish “I couldn’t ask for anything better, and I By Neal Reid just have an incredible horse,” she said of Sister, who is owned by her parents, Dan tanding in the Wrangler National going to enjoy this as long as I can. It’s just and Leslie. “She’s always on point. I ran Finals Rodeo press room, holding amazing.” my backup horse, TJ, (in Round 10) and Sher sparkling gold buckle, Hailey Kinsel was the first 2018 world champion he proved he deserved to be here, too. He’s Kinsel was still in shock about what she’d to clinch their title at the Thomas & Mack special too and made a great run that kept me accomplished in Las Vegas. Center, wrapping up the race for the gold in the average tonight.” The tears of euphoria, relief and joy from buckle after her Round 9 victory – her fourth Stepping onto the World Champions’ stage the night before had dried and Kinsel was go-round win of the 2018 Finals. She and her in the Thomas & Mack Center arena was a all smiles as she was honored as the WPRA beloved horse – DM Sissy Hayday, “Sister” moment Kinsel will remember for a lifetime. World Champion, but it was clear the gravity – blew away the competition in Las Vegas “Oh man, it was amazing,” she said. of the situation had not yet sunk in for the for the second consecutive year, winning “Everyone up there is so deserving, and 24-year-old from Cotulla, Texas. With her the most rounds and earning an event-best every one of my heroes has stood on that mother, Leslie, proudly looking on, Kinsel $157,865 during the 10-day event. stage, so it was definitely surreal. It was demurely answered questions from a throng Saddled on the 2018 WPRA/AQHA Barrel pretty awesome.” of national rodeo media, shaking her head Racing Horse of the Year, Kinsel won the Her performance in Las Vegas in December in wonder as her eyes kept returning to the first round, split third place in Round 3, should have surprised no one, especially world champion buckle she clutched tightly shared second place in the fifth performance considering what the dynamic duo achieved with both hands. and won Rounds 6 and 7 before the title- at last year’s Finals. Kinsel and Sister set Cutline for victory lap: Hailey Kinsel took four victory laps “I dreamed about how this was going clinching victory in Round 9. With the title a barrel racing Wrangler NFR earnings around the Thomas and Mack in 2018 including Rd 9 when she to feel, and this is more,” said Kinsel, a in-hand, Kinsel switched to her backup horse, record of $189,385 in 2017 thanks to four not only won the round but clinched her first world title. WPRA two-time Wrangler NFR qualifier. “I’ve got Thunder Stones “TJ,” a 14-year-old gelding round wins – including a record-setting photo by Phil Doyle a lot of thoughts, and they’re all good. I’m that carried her to an eighth-place finish in But it was all Kinsel in Las Vegas. She former Miss Rodeo Texas, and Hailey trained big boost for Kinsel. broke Lindsay Sears’ WPRA single-season the mare, and they had breakthroughs with a “I couldn’t do it without my sponsors, earnings record of $323,570 from 2008 after share of the $1 million prize at The American because they help us so much going down the her Round 9 win and finished with $350,700 in Dallas in February 2017 and a $50,000 road to make this dream possible for us,” she when the dust had settled. haul from the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games said. “Having my family here (in Las Vegas) Kinsel’s 2018 money total was more than and Rodeo that July. with me makes a big difference. Most of the World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor That sent Kinsel and Sister to the 2017 year I have one person with me, at best, and Brazile’s final haul of $335,680 and was Wrangler NFR, and she and Sister turned the when you come somewhere like this where second in ProRodeo only to World Champion barrel racing world upside down in Las Vegas. it’s a big deal and your whole family gets to Bull Rider Sage Kimzey’s $415,263, which One year later, she’s a world champion. come, it just puts you in a good comfort zone. included a considerable amount of ground Having a strong support staff at her side all “It’s fun.” money in Las Vegas. year and during the Wrangler NFR also was a Winning a championship sure is. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make sense of it for a while,” Kinsel said. BARREL RACING “(The money) probably won’t sink in until Hailey Kinsel and Sister set a new single season earnings record it’s in my bank account. It’s a lot of emotions, WORLD RECORDS & SEASON STATS with $350,700 en route to their first gold buckle. Kinsel won the and they’re all good.” Youngest NFR Qualifiers Most NFR Qualifications first, sixth, seventh and ninth rounds at the Wrangler NFR to The diminutive cowgirl grew up on her Ann Lewis, 10 years old, 1968 Charmayne James, 19 (1984-2002) solidify their spot on top of the list in 2018 adding $157,865 in parents’ commercial beef cattle ranch and Wrangler NFR earnings. WPRA photo by Phil Doyle Rachael Myllymaki, 11 years old, 1988 Sherry Cervi, 19 (1994-2001, 03, 05-06, was a gymnast until age 11, when she made 09-13, 09-14, 09-16) the fateful decision to trade in balancing on a Oldest NFR Qualifiers have different things I tell myself, and I have Mary Burger, 68-years-old, 2016 Lisa Lockhart 12 (2007-2018) beam to steadying herself aboard a lightning- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi 12 (2003, 2005-13, different things I tell Sister. I just remember June Holeman, 62-years-old, 2005 fast horse. 2017-2018) that this is the same thing we do every time Martha Josey, 60-years-old, 1998 Winning the gold buckle is the culmination Sherry Combs Johnson, 12 (1959-68, 70, 91) – you know, three barrels – and this is our Vickie Carter, 60-years old, 2015 of a five-year process that began with Kinsel’s Kay Blandford, 12 (1975, 77, 79, 81, 93, favorite thing.” Linda Vick, 58-years-old, 2005 family buying Sister as a 2-year-old. Leslie, a Mary Burger 58-years old, 2006 95-97, 99-2002) Their only hiccups were downed barrels Mary Walker, 57-years old, 2016 Mildred Farris, 12 (1959-70) in the fourth and eighth rounds, but with Jimmie Gibbs Munroe, 11 Miller and other top contenders like two-time Youngest World Champion Martha Josey, 11 World Champion Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi Ann Lewis*, 10 years old, 1968 Deb Mohon, 11 LaTonne Sewalt, 11 years old, 1950 and two-time Wrangler NFR average winner Sammie Thurman Brackenbury, 11 Jackie Jo Perrin, 13 years old, 1977 Highest Single-Year Earnings Lisa Lockhart struggling, Kinsel’s lead never Charmayne James, 14 years old, 1984 $350,700 by Hailey Kinsel, 2018 dropped below $59,919 at any point of the (*Ann was killed, a car accident just prior $323,570 by Lindsay Sears, 2008 Finals. Amberleigh Moore – who entered the to the 1968 NFR but maintained her lead, $308,498 by Nellie Miller, 2017 NFR in the 13th spot – emerged as Kinsel’s the world standings and was awarded the $303,846 by Callie duPerier, 2015 closest competitor after banking $157,231 of championship posthumously.) $303,317 by Sherry Cervi, 2013 her own in Las Vegas to finish third in the Oldest World Champion Most Money Won at the NFR world.